A man used 400 phones for live broadcasts for gifts (2 photos)
He won daily necessities and an iPhone, earning between $1,400 and $2,800 per month from resale. 
A man surnamed Ma was found in August operating hundreds of devices in a small garage in a residential complex in Jiangsu province. An elderly passerby noticed unusual activity in Ma's garage and reported it to police, suspecting it was a scam.
Ma admitted to using phones, each linked to a separate account on a live-streaming platform, to increase his chances of winning so-called "lucky bags."
The scheme was feasible for Ma because the "lucky bags" only required viewers to press a button to send a specific message and wait for a prize to be delivered. Live-stream hosts provided the gifts and determined the contents of the "lucky bags." 
Ma said he won items ranging from inexpensive everyday items to printers and the latest iPhones, which he then sold on used e-commerce platforms. He claimed he could earn between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan ($1,400-$2,800) per month.
Ma did not insert SIM cards into his phones, which are required to register new accounts on Chinese social media platforms. Instead, he purchased existing accounts from other people online. Because these real-name accounts contained personal information, police charged Ma with violating the privacy rights of others, which is illegal.
While police did not provide a specific punishment, under Chinese criminal law, people who obtain, sell, or provide citizens' personal information face up to three years in prison or a fine.
